NASCAR teams hoarding Goodyear tires

UPDATE John Darby said there was "strong, strong possibility" that tire leasing will be in effect next year. Teams would get tires from Goodyear at the beginning of each race weekend and then turn them back in before leaving, meaning they couldn't buy the same tires they race on to take to non-Cup tracks like Kentucky for more testing. ThatsRacin.com 08/23/05 NASCAR officials met with officials from Nextel Cup teams at its research & development center in Concord on Tuesday to discuss significant rules changes for the 2006 season. Among the changes outlined, according to a crew chief who attended the meeting, is a revamping of the testing policies aimed at minimizing the advantage multicar teams have because they can test more often.

Currently, each Nextel Cup race team – each car number – is limited to five two-day tests and four one-day tests at tracks where the series competes. Rookies get seven two-day tests and five one-day tests.

Next year, however, each team will test only at six designated tracks along with other teams from the same manufacturer. All Ford teams, all Chevrolet teams and all Dodge teams will test at the same tracks, four of which were designated by NASCAR and two more chosen in a vote taken at the meeting. Two of those tests will be at Daytona and Indianapolis.

To help limit testing at other tracks, such as Kentucky or Nashville speedways, NASCAR also plans to use a tire-leasing policy. Teams will lease tires at each track, taking out as many sets as they want. But each tire must be returned before the team leaves the track.

Teams have been buying tires since word first came NASCAR was considering the new limits, stockpiling them to use in tests at non-Cup tracks next year. Also, NASCAR plans to use its impound policy – in which cars race with the same setups they qualify on – at 31 of next year's 36 races. ThatsRacin [Editor's Note: What are the teams going to do with all the Goodyear tires when Goodyear changes the tire compounds next year? The stockpiled tires will be rendered useless. Look for a fire sale on used Goodyear tires next year on team's websites. NASCAR fans will suck them right up]